National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions (Ch., Datang xiyu ji, J., Daito saiiki), in twelve volumes, is an extensive travelogue written by the Chinese monk and translator Xuanzhuang (J., Genjo, 600-664) about his sixteen-year journey to India. Xuanzhuang exhaustively documented topography, the situation of Buddhism, and the conditions of the temples and relics in the more than 110 kingdoms and 28 lesser-known lands of India and the western regions. He also recorded details on their geography, customs, legends, commerce, and politics. This volume was completed on the third day of the fourth month of 1102 (Kowa 4), according to its postscript, and is the oldest existing copies of this record.